Draft-releasing device.



No. 870,177. PATENTED NOV. 5,1907.

B. L. HURD.

DRAFT RELEASINGDEVIGE. APPLICATION rum) Ammo, 1907.

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ELIJAH L. HURD, OF HOWELL, SOUTH DAKOTA.

DRAFT-RELEASING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 5, 1907.

Application filed April 1011907. Serial No. 367418.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIJAH L. HURD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Howell, in the county of Hand and State of South Dakota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Draft-Releasing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to releasing devices for draft connections, and is primarily intended for use in the connections between grain separators or threshing machines and their traction engines, though equally well adapted for use in all other forms of draft connections.

Said invention has for its object to provide certain improvements in the construction of such devices, as will be hereinafter more definitely pointed out and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved device attached to the end of a draft pole or bar. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of a part of the lever, the coupling pin and the coupling plate with which it engages. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the end of the draft pole or bar having attached thereto a part of my device.

Similar numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views.

In the said drawing the reference numeral 1 denotes the draft pole or bar of a separator or threshing machine or of any other draft vehicle, to which is boltedon its upper side a metallic strap, the same consisting of a base plate 2, that is turned over at its front end to form a bolt receiving socket 3 and is extended backward therefrom into a top plate 4 lying in contact with base plate 2, as shown. Said top plate 4 is slotted centrally and longitudinally for a portion of its length at 5, said slot extending into the socket 3, as shown, while at the rear end of said slot 5 said plate 4 is slotted laterally at (3 to receive and form a socket for the lower bent end 7 of a curved bar 8 which is bolted in position on the base plate 2. Pivoted near its front end by means of I bolt 9, in the slot of socket 3, is a lever 10, having pivoted thereto at its front end by means of bolt 11 a coupling pin 12, the pivoted end of said coupling pin lying between the front end of said lever 10 and a retaining plate 13 bolted to the side of said lever, as shown in Fig. 2. Mounted on the side of said lever 10 above its pivot point is a box 14, apertured to permit the passage of a locking bolt l5, normally pressed outward by a coiled spring 16 within said box, and retracted through rod 17 and hand-grip 18 in the usual manner. The fixed bar 8 lies in contact with lever 10 and is provided with a recess 19 to receive the locking bolt l 15 and below said recess is curved in the arc of a circle struck from the pivot of lever 10 for a purpose hereinafter to be described. Bolted to underside of the draft pole or bar 1, and projecting somewhat beyond the front end of the same, is a coupling plate 20, apertured at 2 1 to receive the lower end of coupling pin 12.

From the above description the operation of my improved construction will be understood as follows: With the parts in the position shown in Fig. l, and the end of a draft chain 22, or other coupling device, engaged by the coupling pin 12, said pin will be retained by its engagement through aperture 21 in plate 20 with said plate, to retain the parts coupled, the locking bolt 15 of lever 10 being in spring-pressed engagement with recess 19 in curved bar 8 to lock the parts against accidental disengagement. Now when it is desired to release the draft chain 22 it is only necessary to retract bolt 15, through hand-grip 18, and depress the lever 10 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, which results in the Withdrawal of coupling pin 12 from its engagement with the aperture 21 in coupling plate 20. The coupling pin 12 is thus free to swing forward to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1, thus releasing the chain 22.

It will be seen that by reason of the location of the pivot 9 of lever in close proximity to the coupling pin 1.2, a powerful leverage can be obtained through the long arm of said lever, and with little power applied, thus providing for the withdrawal of coupling pin 12 even under a full draft strain on chain 22. By curving the bar 8 as described I provide for its engagement by the locking bolt 15, the frictional engagement being sufficient to retain the lever 10 in any adjusted position, for instance, that shown in the dotted line position in Fig. 1. I

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a draft releasing device, the combination of a draft pole or bar, a metallic strap bolted to the upper side of said pole or bar, and consisting of a base plate bent back on itself to form a top plate and a bolt receiving socket, a lever pivoted intermediate its length in said socket, a coupling pin pivoted to the outer end of said lever, and a coupling plate fixed to the underside of said pole or bar with which said coupling pin is adapted to be engaged.

2. In a draft releasing device the combination of a draft pole or bar, a metallic strap bolted to the upper side of said pole or bar and consisting of a base plate bent back on itself to form a top plate and a bolt receiving socket, said top plate and socket being slotted centrally and longitudinally, and slotted laterally at the rear end of said longitudinal slot, a curved locking bar having its lower bent end fitting in said lateral slot in said top plate and being bolted in position, a lever pivoted intermediate its length in the slot in said socket, a coupling pin pivoted to the outer end of said lever, a coupling plate fixed to said draft pole or bar with which said coupling pin is adapted to engage, and a locking bolt on said lever adapted to engage said curved bar to lock the parts.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ELIJAH L. HURD.

Witnesses:

O'r'ro J. YADA, VINCENT B. LEDMAN. 

